Plans and impressions for Sheffield Station Cycle Hub released

Construction work is to start on the new cycle hub and the approach road to the station. East Midland Trains revealed the plans at the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Transport Forum on Wed 27 Mar.

An artist’s impression shows the front of the hub and the roads in this illustration will only be open to taxis: black cabs to drop off and pick up, minicabs to drop off only.

Private vehicles will only be able to drop off and pick up on a remodelled road opposite the station multi-story car park.

The plan for the approach road shows another ‘loop’ back from the station (claimed to be only 2 minutes walk) where private vehicles will be able to drop off and pick up and it will have a 14 space car park for ’15 min wait’ vehicles.

In all of this there is supposed to be a cycle path and a crossing for cyclists by the hub. I’ll send this post to the bloke from EMT because I can’t see a cycle path on the plans or a crossing marked on the plans.

The space to the side of the station which has the double-decker bike racks and a couple of ‘disabled’ parking bays is to be remodelled as the hub with a cycle store/maintenance workshop. The plan shows the layout with where the bike racks will go. Entry to the hub will be by swipe card and one will have to sign up for this.

I don’t know the cost but the swipe card will work at other East Midlands Trains(EMT) bike hubs as and when they get completed. You can access your bike 24/7 and it will still need to be locked up.

The demand for bike storage at the station has soared. The restriction of two bikes a train is still in place and I have reports of people not being able to get a bike on a commuter train because there are already too many bikes on board. The ability to more or less keep a bike docked at Sheffield Station will be a bonus for some.

A set of CGIs show the cycle shop/workshop. This will be leased to and managed by Russ Cutts who presently is based at Russell’ Bicycle Shed. (Russ is also a member of CycleSheffield and intends to continue to offer beneficial rates to CycleSheffield members) Bikes will also be available for hire from Russ. The Bike and Go scheme, available at Meadowhall, Rotherham, Barnsley and Wakefield Kirkgate, will not be available at Sheffield Station for the time being.